That's me, in front of a crater, gratuitously showing off my vacation photos so I can make this trip a tax write-off

Hello from Iceland, the land of beautiful white people! It's David, your editorial director here, and while I'm supposed to be celebrating a birthday, I noticed one interesting trend while avoiding the wind and rain: zero people of color. Actually, that's not true — there was a twentysomething girl of Middle Eastern descent who helped me up on my horse this morning. But aside from the Japanese tourists, this place is filled with white folks. Not entirely surprising: Norway settled the place in 874 A.D., and then the Danish took over, and then they went the independence route, so it's not like the island would naturally be teaming with people of color. But … zero? Am I somehow missing a pocket community of Afro-Icelanders? The only black thing about this place is The Black Plague, which claimed half Iceland's population, twice, in the 1400s.

Actually, that's not true. I did notice one piece of black culture — of the infuriating variety:

This sign was outside the entrance to a restaurant on one of main streets in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital. Suffice to say, I didn't go inside.

But that alone isn't the impression I plan on leaving with. The people are "unnaturally" friendly — in the sense that I've never encountered a society so willing to please, help, answer questions, or engage in conversation — and so very accommodating, and the country is incredibly beautiful.

Then again, I'm a white guy visiting this place. Perhaps you've had a different experience? Please share!